The Charm Beneath

The first perfume retail shop of Halle de Fleur opens for business. The second young master, CHUK YAU YIP, returns from abroad; he brings along a big clock for the business opening occasion; his father, MOON SHAN, looks unhappy, but YIP makes his father feel relieved with clever words. The third mistress, MING WAI, and her aunt, LEE NGA SIN, are showing off in their dressing and their wearing of jewelry, competing against each other in the opening ceremony; the first young master, YAU SING, introduces his girlfriend, SUNG WAN SHEUNG, to his father, SHAN, by this chance. SHEUNG plays the role of a model for the new product, Sunflower rouge; SHAN has a good impression on SHEUNG; he invites SHEUNG to his house for dinner the next day. To win a good impression from SHAN, the husband of WAI, LAI KWOK CHEONG, goes to talk about business opportunity with LAM WAI PUN, a good friend of SHAN; he only makes the matter worse with opposite effect……

SHING has a dispute with SHAN over the background of SHEUNG. All the CHUK’s family members (CHUK, the last name of the family) have prejudice against SHEUNG; WAI also thinks that it is not worthy for SHING to harm the father-and-son relationship just because of an outsider. FONG always has good feeling on SHING but she is not willing to show out her feeling because of her reserved character; her mother, LO SIU YUNG, is very anxious about her daughter’s affair with SHING. The suggestion that YIP makes to use “blessing pouch” in boosting the sale of Snowflake Cream impresses SHAN, who also mentions again the production of roller lipstick that YIP has earlier proposed. As such, MOON TIN, the younger brother of SHAN, conceals his anger and jealousy. SHEUNG takes the wrist-chain, which SHING has given her as gift, to go out for repair. On the way, SHEUNG comes across SIN and YUNG, who jeer at SHEUNG, making SHEUNG embarrassed……

After taking SHEUNG to leave Moon Yuen, the big house of CHUK’s family, SHING comes to know that SHEUNG is pregnant. However, he does not want SHAN to make concession because of SHEUNG’s pregnancy. SHING slaps WAI on the face, mistaking that she has disclosed the blackmail incident to SHAN; WAI feels humiliated. SHING and SHAN break up their father-and-son relationship while TIN gains the advantage of this. YIP is so ambitious to see the proper production of roller lipstick; WAI feels uneasy to see TIN highly commend YIP. When going to pray for a blessing, FONG meets SHEUNG and SHING on the way; she comes to knows that they will soon go to south Asia to start a new life. Listening to FONG’s advice, SHING goes to take SHAN out of the hospital; SHAN feels comforted. However, SHING is unwilling to leave SHEUNG all the times……

On witnessing the calamity happening to SHING, SHEUNG faints and she is sent to hospital. YIP tells SHAN the pregnancy of SHEUNG; SHAN is eventually allowed into the CHUK’s family. As SIN sees that SHAN treats SHEUNG indifferently, SIN arranges SHEUNG to live with servants in the back yard. On seeing this, FONG suggests letting SHEUNG live in the guest-room next to her. SHEUNG asks FONG to take her to SHING’s room, where SHEUNG becomes more saddened to see things that remind her of SHING. When YAU BONG and MING MAN, the son and younger daughter of SIN, return from Japan, SIN makes arrangement for them to settle down excitingly; WAI ridicules SIN for her imbalanced attitude to different people. BONG and MAN return home with great ambition. FONG makes a complaint to SHAN, mistaking that YIP requests her to kiss customers for promotion of the roller lipstick……

MAN has SHAN’s dear love but WAI receives SHAN’s cold shoulder. WAI completes the account books for CHEONG overnight but CHEONG forgets to take them back to Halle de Fleur; SHAN criticizes WAI for spoiling her husband, CHEONG. SHEUNG is mentally distressed as she constantly hears mocking words in CHUK’s family. The housekeeper, Sister FOON, recommends LONG to SIN for a job. SIN originally wants to hire Uncle FOOK, her old aged hometown fellow. However, she decides to hire LONG instead to compensate what MAN has done on LONG and to avoid complaint by WAI. SIN uses tricks to make SHAN know that MAN has bought swimsuit; SHAN severely reprimands WAI but he only advises MAN in mild tone. WAI listens to SIN’s instigation, suspecting that she is not SHAN’s daughter; she looks for proof from FOON. YIP buys some snack and he asks FONG to give it to SHEUNG, who worries it will be a trap……

SHEUNG is diagnosed to have prenatal depression. SHEUNG is discharged and returns home, where SIN, YUNG and others feel uneasy. In a street, MAN and WAI see a man, who sells his daughter to a brothel. MAN comes up to defend the daughter and she gets injured. FOOK asks for compensation from SIN, saying that he has quitted his original job. After sending FOOK off, SIN vents her anger on YUNG. YIP discovers the potential market about the products within the brothels. When SHEUNG returns home, YUNG adopts a changed attitude to her for fear that she will be instigated. YIP bets with FONG on which books they buy will make SHEUNG happy. As a result, YIP loses and he has to pay for the dinner with FONG as punishment. Because of this, YUNG mistakes that YIP has good feeling on FONG; YUNG together with her son, YEE CHING, try to pair them up secretly. YIP and FONG feel embarrassed because of the misunderstanding on the part of YUNG and CHING……

MAN discovers CHING sends the product to the girls working in brothels. When returning home, MAN reprimands YIP for helping the unhealthy growth in the society; YIP does not think so and he further decides to patronize the “Flower Queen Competition”. MAN rubs medicinal lotion on CHING’s body and his heart is beating fast. After using the product of Halle de fleur, SIN and YUNG are regarded to be immoral women. The government implements the anti-prostitute policy, causing a great loss to Halle de fleur. After SHAN returns from Shanghai, he scolds YIP for what he has done; he decides to shelve the project of branch-shop in Shanghai. They all discuss how to restore the business of Halle de fleur; YIP feels that his suggestion is not respected and he decides to live his playful life again. On seeing SHAN has great concern over SHEUNG, SIN and YUNG therefore adopt a 180-degree-turn attitude to SHEUNG……

When CHEONG falls from height, YUEN WING WAH, the advisory lawyer of Halle de fleur, happens to appear and CHEONG is rescued. WAI has a dispute with SIN and YUNG over CHEONG’s incident. SHAN reprimands WAI, saying that she is responsible for CHEONG’s action in the money loss. WAI cannot hold her temper, stating in tears that she is helpless to be a wife in this situation. Although SHAN is angry, he is still willing to transfer money to pay the debt; WAI is grateful; TIN is angry, but not daring to say a word. SIN and WAI give presents to SHEUNG respectively; SHEUNG thinks that they may have something evil in their minds. BONG suggests inviting the noble image star, LAN PO YIN, to be the spokesperson of their products. However, it may be not successful because YIN is a low key person. As YIP knows the uncle of YIN, he can make an appointment with YIN to discuss. After BONG gives a handsome offer, YIN eventually promises to cooperate……